U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,875 discloses a method of controlling a remotely controlled unmanned air vehicle (UAV). Upon loss of radio contact between a control station (6) and the UAV (1), the UAV (1) flies on a preprogrammed safety route (3). As required the UAV is guided to a flight path (2) that is remote-controlled from the control station (6), and, in the event of an interruption of the radio contact, the UAV flies on a substitute route calculated with on-board equipment, without active intervention from the remote control station.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,705 discloses an aerial reconnaissance system that generates imagery of a scene that meets resolution or field of view objectives automatically and autonomously. In one embodiment, a passive method of automatically calculating range to the target from a sequence of airborne reconnaissance camera images is used. Range information is use for controlling the adjustment of a zoom lens to yield frame-to-frame target imagery that has a desired, e.g., constant, ground resolution or field of view at the center of the image despite rapid and significant aircraft altitude and attitude changes. Image to image digital correlation is used to determine the displacement of the target at the focal plane. Camera frame rate and aircraft INS/GPS information is used to accurately determine the frame to frame distance (baseline). The calculated range to target is then used to drive a zoom lens servo mechanism to the proper focal length to yield the desired resolution or field of view for the next image. The method may be performed based on parameters other than range, such as aircraft height and stand off distance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,237 discloses a sonotube-compatible unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and systems for launch and control of the UAV. The UAV is generally comprised of modular sections including a nose section, a payload section, a wing and fuel tank section, and a powerplant section. The modular sections are attached to adjacent sections by uniform lock sealing rings and related components. The present invention comprises an apparatus enabling very small, man portable, ballistically launched, autonomously or semi-autonomously controlled vehicle to be deployed with preprogrammed, communicated, or telemetry mission programming. A wide range of payload packages, including emergency supplies, sensors, and antenna assemblies, may be carried, used or deployed in flight. The UAV can be equipped to transmit video, data and audio signals. Man-portable operation is accomplished by the use of a launch canister apparatus. The launch canister comprises retractable launch stabilizing legs, turbine engine exhaust orifices, and various antennas. The launch canister apparatus alternatively comprises a modified type “A”, “B”, or “C” sonotube launch canister. The system of the invention also comprises a portable Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) control and sensing analysis console. The console is preferably ruggedized, waterproof, shockproof, and includes control and analysis computers, input/output devices, antennas, and related hardware and software for vehicle and mission control. A C4I console and/or launch canisters may be transported by means of a backpack adapted for man portability. The UAV can include optical or nonoptical sensors. The sensors may be a “Low Cost Uncooled Sensor Prototype” (LOCUSP) thermal vision system, or the Lockheed-Martin “MICRO-FLIR” manufactured by Fairchild Systems, USA, or other existing micro FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) systems typical of those manufactured by Raytheon or Hughes Electro Optics, USA. Other optical sensors adaptable as sensors 13 include daylight video, fourth generation Low Light Television (LLTV), all light television (ALLTV) night vision systems typical of those developed by ITT Electronics USA. The sensors may also include laser ranging and targeting systems of conventional design adapted from the Lockheed-Martin AN/AAQ-13/14 LANTIRN Sharpshooter type systems, or other long range laser ranging systems.